The Picnic
by Queen Elsa's Snowflake
Summary: A few days after the Coronation/Great Thaw, Anna convinces Elsa to go on a picnic with her so that Elsa can relax and get away from the rigors of being Queen for awhile. What will happen when they have so much time alone together to discover and explore their true feelings for one another? Elsanna fluff/angst Warning: Incest/Adult Language/Situations
1. Chapter 1

"Okay, I'm all yours!", Elsa said happily as she walked over to stand beside her sister.

Anna was preparing the strawberries she'd obtained from the royal gardener earlier that morning for their upcoming adventure. The younger girl tried not to let her hands shake as she used a paring knife to slice off the green stem ends of the berries on the cutting board in front of her. But it wasn't easy. She was so excited to be doing something with Elsa that she could barely contain herself. And, she hadn't been expecting to see her elder sister so soon.

"Elsa!? Hi.", Anna said, dumbly fumbling around with the knife and nearly slicing her finger.

"Hi.", Elsa smiled, "Careful!", she exclaimed when she saw the near mishap.

"Y-you're here… already." Anna replied, her voice faltering on the last word.

"I am. Is that a bad thing?", Elsa asked with a look of uncertainty.

"Oh um, no! No! Not at all! Never!", Anna stammered, "I-I just wasn't expecting you so soon."

When Anna had suggested a picnic to Elsa at breakfast that morning, she could tell that Elsa had very much wanted to do it but the Queen had been understandably reticent. However, Anna could be very persuasive given the right circumstance. The younger girl had been noticing how all of the Royal duties Elsa had to perform on a daily basis seemed to be weighing on the Queen of late. She had seemed more peckish than usual recently and Anna had a sneaking suspicion that Elsa longed to be away from it all for a while, even if it was just for an afternoon. When Anna had mentioned her idea for them to get away from the stuffy old castle for a few hours, Elsa's eyes had actually brightened with excitement, confirming the younger girl's suspicions, but then they'd clouded over just as quickly when Elsa had remembered all the responsibilities she had set up for the day. She had sighed and reminded Anna that as much as she wanted to, her being the Queen and all, she couldn't just shirk her duties and leave the palace to go on a spontaneous adventure with her. That's when Anna had suggested delegating some of her more mundane chores to a few of the most trustworthy of the staff. Although the Queen had been reluctant at first, Anna had appealed to her logical sensibilities and she was able to convince her that she could use the time away to improve her stress levels. That even a Queen needed a vacation day every now and then. A fact Anna knew even Elsa couldn't deny.

So, after what turned out to be a shockingly small amount of good-natured cajoling, Elsa had agreed to try it. It had thrilled Anna that she had listened to her and thought her idea was a sound one. She had expected her rationale would be met with an icy stare and to be told that she didn't understand the way things worked. She hadn't anticipated Elsa would be so agreeable, even eager to follow her advice. The fact that she was, made Anna realize that she trusted her judgment which made Anna feel wonderful. Either that or Elsa was just really, really sick of performing her queenly duties.

Elsa, who usually took her time and savored each morsel of her morning meal because it was usually her only one-on-one time with Anna during the whole day, had practically inhaled her breakfast and risen from the table, saying she just had a few things to take care of and then she'd be back to help Anna get everything organized for their day. But, Anna hadn't been expecting her to be so true to her word… for her to be ready and joining her in the kitchen so quickly. It had barely been an hour since Elsa had taken her leave but Anna had been figuring on Elsa being tied up for at least a couple of hours or more. So she'd thought she'd have most of the morning to herself to calmly get everything in order. As always, she was thrilled to see Elsa. However, her unexpectedly expeditious presence was making Anna incredibly nervous.

She didn't know what it was about Elsa, but lately whenever she was around, Anna became so intimidated and flustered that she could barely even speak, much like she had at the Coronation ceremony a few days ago. The problem was actually very simple. Elsa had shut her out for 13 long, depressing years but all that had abruptly changed after Anna sacrificed herself for her sister. It had made Elsa realize just how much Anna cared for her and now Elsa frequently went out of her way to make time to chat with Anna and even rearranged her schedule just to spend time with her, like she had today. And while Anna never seemed to get enough of Elsa's near constant doting and all the new attention that was being lavished upon her, this sudden closeness with Elsa still felt rather odd and unnerving to the younger girl. But in the very best of ways. Nevertheless, though, it was causing Anna more than a little chagrin because she always ended up acting like an awkward, blathering idiot around Elsa now. That is to say even more of an awkward, blathering idiot than she usually did.

"Well, things went much more smoothly than I had anticipated.", Elsa was saying, dislodging Anna from her reverie. "Amazing what a Queen can get accomplished just by asking. You were _so_ right, Anna, I really _do_ need to learn to delegate the more… negligible items on my agenda to the staff. I don't have to be present for every little thing. And, the more things I can eliminate from my schedule, the more time I will be able to free up to spend with you, dear sister.", she explained softly with a warm smile.

At this, Anna nearly dropped the knife and enveloped her in a huge bear hug, but she managed to maintain her composure as she knew Elsa continued to remain a little skittish about being touched. "That would be… so nice!", she said, managing to imbue the last two words with such undisguised effervescence that it made the Queen chuckle softly

"Yes!", Elsa smiled a smile that made her eyes sparkle, "yes, it would make me very happy. The thing I love most is spending time with you." She reached over, swept Anna's bangs aside and placed a loving kiss on her younger sister's forehead. And it suddenly felt like Anna's heart would burst from her chest with joy. She felt blood rush to her cheeks and inclined her head so Elsa wouldn't see. "Now," Elsa said, not seeming to notice, "what can I do to help the picnic prep?"

"Uhhh...," Anna began, trying to get herself under control. "I-I'm good, I think. Almost done. I mean I think this is the last thing"

"Oh, okay, then.", Elsa sighed, looking slightly disappointed. "Do you mind if I just stand here with you then and watch?"

"That would be great.", Anna said, trying not to let her persistent nervousness show.

When she suddenly felt Elsa's cool hand slip lightly across the small of her back to hook gently around the swell of her hip and pull her close, she gasped. The feeling of Elsa's body pressed close to hers sent a shiver through the younger girl.

"Oh, I'm sorry. ", Elsa said, noticing Anna's reaction, "Am I too cold? All the rushing around this morning, it would cause most people to get warmer. Me, it just makes me colder.", she gave a slightly embarrassed grin, "Sometimes I forget. Sorry."

"No, no. I love your... cool hugs.", Anna grinned up at her and winked. "They feel especially nice on a warm day like today, it just startled me mostly."

That was true, it _had_ startled her. But more because she wasn't used to so much affection from Elsa than because of her body temperature. Elsa was still a little awkward with displays of affection. Honestly, they both were. It had been so long for them. But Elsa even more so because of her history of pretty much zero physical contact with people. However, she was really trying hard and Anna was loving every second of it.

"Unfortunately, cool hugs are the only kind I can give.", Elsa was saying somewhat sadly, "I suppose when I created Olaf, that's why he liked warm hugs so much. He was a manifestation of my subconscious. I love warm hugs from you most of all, Anna." Elsa continued cuddling her and the sensation was so thrilling to Anna, she felt like she could walk on air.

"Oh, Anna," she sighed wistfully, "I've missed this so much. I've missed feeling your warmth against my cool skin. I'm sorry if I've seemed to shy away from being touched. It's not that I don't like it. On the contrary, actually, I love it… very, very much. It's just… hard for me… after so many years of people being afraid to touch me. If I stiffen, it's not because I don't welcome it, it's because I'm sort of shocked that anyone would want to willingly touch me. And there's always that fear in the back of my mind that I might have some sort of… reaction, even though I have my powers pretty well under control right now. But I love being touched, I've been starved for it for so very long… and it's hard for me to feel comfortable initiating touches because I'm so used to people being afraid of me. It's very awkward for me. I like to remember when we were kids… when I wasn't afraid. That's what I have to do to be able to touch you. I've missed holding you in my arms so much. For so long. Feeling your warmth against me again is like a drug and I'm completely addicted. I love the way your body feels pressed against mine, your warmth seeping into me. I love being able to touch you again without fear. I love it when you touch me back."

Her words sent a shiver through Anna and simply hearing the soft yet eager lilt of her sister's voice as she spoke to her held her utterly spellbound. Elsa turned the younger girl around towards her, she let her cool fingertips trace down Anna's jawline tenderly. It made Anna flush, a small sigh of contentment falling unbidden from her lips, her body beginning to tremble. Elsa then reached up with her other hand and lovingly cupped both of the younger girl's cheeks in her hands and when she looked down into her sister's teal green eyes, she found they were welling up with tears.

"You're shaking.", Elsa said with concern. "Are you sure you're not cold? "

"Yes, I—", Anna croaked, "I'm sorry, I…"

"No apologies, little one.", she leaned down and let her cool lips brush across the tip of Anna's nose lightly and it caused the younger girl's cheeks to burn with another hot flush. Her heart skipped a beat because for a second she thought that Elsa had been going to kiss her on the—

"I'm the one who should be apologizing.", Elsa's soft voice thankfully interrupted her train of thought before it went somewhere Anna didn't want it to go. "I'm sorry I've not been around for you lately, Anna… well for the last 13 years, actually!", she chuckled. "But, with all the Coronation stuff finally winding down now, I'm going to make you my main priority."

Anna's eyes lit up with unfettered joy at this, she blinked rapidly, trying to stave off the tears. "Th-that would be… amazing.", she said, a little more effusively than she would've liked, but then she couldn't stop. "I would love that… more than anything in the whole wide world!"

"Really?", Elsa asked, raising her brows as a sly smile made its way across her face, "Even more than chocolate?", Elsa teased, a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh way more than chocolate!", Anna grinned, trying to keep herself from bursting with the joy she was feeling while at the same time trying not to betray the nagging, and quite contradictory unease she felt being near her sister.

Being thisclose to her sister.

It wasn't Elsa's fault, of course. She was just being affectionate. But Anna was finding her proximity coupled with how demonstrative she was suddenly being more intimidating than she would've expected.

Adding to the situation was the fact that Elsa smelled wonderful. A soothing scent of wintergreen mixed with talc that was most pleasing to Anna's olfactory senses. Anna couldn't resist filling her lungs with a deep breath of her. But, even though it probably should've, it did nothing to calm her nerves. It was just that Elsa was so incredibly elegant and refined without even trying and Anna was so... not. Her sister simply exuded graceful charm and always had. It seemed even more pronounced lately, since she'd had her transformation up on the North Mountain. And then there was the fact that she was also knockdown drag out gorgeous now. Not that she hadn't always been, it was just that her liberation by ice had brought all of her most beautiful facets to the surface for all to see whereas before all that exquisiteness had been concealed along with Elsa's powers

Case in point, her current ensemble, a new style of ice dress which Anna found absolutely beguiling. Her "Spring Look", as Elsa had called it when Anna's eyes had widened and she had nearly choked on her porridge upon first seeing her in it that morning. And, she was right; the dress _did_ scream "Spring", so it was just the thing for the Spring Picnic Anna had planned for the two of them. It was a light periwinkle blue that complemented her eyes perfectly, making their normally turquoise color go the most striking shade of cornflower blue, and the filmy skirt only came down to her knees, leaving her shapely calves and ankles bare. On her feet, she wore a pair of flat, strappy sandals, also made of ice. The top was light and airy with white and blue rosemaling accents across the chest which served to enhance her sister's ample bosom nicely. It sported white cap sleeves from which tiny icicles dangled, clinking together softly whenever she moved and a neckline that tapered to a tantalizing point just above her cleavage. It was exactly Elsa's taste and style. Anna never failed to be bowled over by her sister's impeccable fashion sensibility. If she weren't the Queen, Anna thought for the hundredth time, she could easily have been a dress designer. The ensemble was lovely in every way. And, it looked ravishing on her, not too revealing but not too conservative either and it hugged her curves in just the right manner. All of her ice creations were such teases sexually but the funny thing was that Elsa was not in any way aware if it. Or of the effect it had on people, men in particular. She just made them the way she did because she liked the style. She had no clue that anyone would find them the least bit provocative. Even Anna even found them overwhelmingly alluring and Elsa was her own flesh and blood. And, Anna knew without question that if any men saw the two of them together, Anna wouldn't have a chance, but she didn't mind. She'd gotten kind of used to that, actually, hanging around her older sister. Men pretty much fell at Elsa's feet wherever they went together but Elsa never gave any of them the time of day. She wasn't interested in suitors. Too much work to being a queen and a sister to Anna. Between her Royal responsibilities and her sister, Elsa had more than enough on her plate without any male companionship being added to the mix and Anna knew that her sister was absolutely fine with that arrangement. Elsa wasn't used to being around people at all and most especially not in a courting type situation. She would be extremely uncomfortable and awkward, especially with someone she'd only just met. Small talk was exceedingly difficult for her. Anna knew what a struggle it was for her just to carry on a simple conversation with someone she didn't know well, never mind trying to present herself in a way that someone of the opposite sex would find attractive and conducive to kindling a spark of romance. Not that she would need to. She could just sit in complete silence and someone would still ask for her hand in marriage simply for the privilege of looking upon her remarkable beauty. But Elsa would never want that. She would run like crazy from that much awkwardness.

"Penny for your thoughts.", Elsa said, bringing Anna back to reality.

"Huh?", Anna said, blinking up at her sister dumbly.

"I mean, you've certainly gone quiet, little sister.", Elsa said playfully, "Thinking of all the mischief you have in store for me?" She raised her brows.

"Wait, what?", Anna said, still shaking the cobwebs loose.

"Now that we're going to be spending more time together, I mean.", Elsa explained

"Oh! N-no… I was just thinking… about how you're so much better suited to being royalty than I am."

"Mmmmmm...", Elsa gave her a smirk. "Is that your way of telling me I'm a pompous, stuffy old fart?"

Anna's eyes went huge at her sister's use of such a common word. Her first instinct was to laugh. But Elsa never spoke that way and Anna was confused. She wasn't sure if the older woman was serious or just teasing her. "Nuh-no, Elsa," she stammered in momentary panic that she'd managed to offend her sister with something she'd blurted off the top of her head in her haste to cover what she'd really been thinking. "I- I just m- meant you were so regal and elegant and refined, completely the opposite of me!" Then she looked up into her sister's eyes and all her worries fell away. They were shining with a mischievous glint of merriment and there was a good natured smile on her face that was deepening the more Anna struggled with her explanation.

"I know what you meant," Elsa said warmly, "But maybe I'm sick to death of being demure and composed and just downright boring all the time... maybe I want to be loud and exuberant and carefree some of the time! Maybe I want to be more like _you_ , my dear sister." The smile Elsa flashed her here nearly caused the younger girl melt into a puddle at her Queen's dainty feet.

Unable to stop the giggle that boiled up from within her, Anna said, "Oh Els, come on! First off, you are _any_ thing but boring and secondly, why on _earth_ would you want to be more like me? I'm a hot mess! Why would you want to emulate _that?_ "

And Elsa suddenly became serious. "People love you, Anna," she said simply. "All they have to do is look at you and they're completely charmed, utterly enamored."

Anna's brows shot to her hairline. "You think I'm charming?"

"I do!", Elsa admitted with an adorable crooked smile.

"Elsa, I am _sooo_ not charming... and I don't know what that other thing means but I doubt I'm that either.", she shook her head.

Elsa laughed softly. "Enamored or well, enamoring... it means people find you enchanting, that they can't help but fall in love with you because they are so captivated by your charms."

Anna snorted. "Yeah, right! Well I'm definitely not that, either."

"Are, too.", Elsa teased.

"Are not! ", Anna said immediately .

Elsa looked into her face and her eyes filled with joy. "Oh yes you are, my dear sweet Anna. You're radiant and vibrant and just absolutely perfect. ", she said quietly. Then she hugged Anna to her tightly. "And I love you so, so much!" Anna returned the hug just as firmly, aware of the fullness of Elsa's bosom pressing against her own and loving the feeling of comfort that it gave her. She burrowed her face into the crook of Elsa's neck and inhaled a deep breath of her sister's wonderful scent. Elsa kissed the top of Anna's head gently and felt her shiver against her, then she pulled away and held her sister at arm's length. Anna's eyes were brimming with tears which Elsa reached up and dutifully whisked away with her thumbs. "Now I've done it." she said, "Not only have I made you cry, I've made you cold on top of that."

"No you didnt. I mean, I - I'm not cold, Elsa."

"But you're shivering, honey."

"Am I?", Anna said dumbly, knowing very well that she was but not knowing how to explain it to her sister.

"Yes.", Elsa said with concern, breaking her embrace and moving over a bit. It felt to Anna like she was being punished now by Elsa physically distancing herself. There was an awkward moment of silence then Elsa noticed the small bouquet on the end of the table. "Oh what lovely flowers!", she said.

"Oh yes, I picked them this morning.", Anna said and Elsa looked at her . "For you.", she explained quickly.

"How wonderful!", Elsa's eyes lit up, "Forget me nots and Bluebells!"

"Is that what they're called? They're your favorites, right?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes but how did you know? I mean, I'm the Queen of Arendelle. My favorite flower should be the crocus."

Anna grinned. "Now, _that_ one, I know. It's on almost _every_ thing in Arendelle! The official crest, the banners, the wallpaper and doors here in the castle, a few throw pillows, a couple of pairs of my bloomers..."

At this, Elsa giggled. "And mine!" she said, coloring slightly.

Anna smiled back at her and nodded before continuing. " _But_ , I knew they weren't your favorites because you did not have a whole bed of crocus planted in front of your window so that you could admire them every morning. However, these," she indicated the flowers Elsa had now started to absently thread into her braid, "you did. I used to play near them when I was little because I knew you could see me if I was there."

"Oh really? I always wondered why you played there so much, when you had all of the castle grounds to explore."

"I was totally selfishly hoping I might get a glimpse of you.", Anna confessed, "Sometimes, I did."

"Oh, I was always there, but most of the time I hung back to the shadows. I loved watching you. I wished I could come out and be with you..." she trailed off, wistful.

Anna sighed. "Me, too.", she agreed, her voice quiet.

Elsa's bright blue eyes found hers. "You know, I have a confession. ", she began, "I um... I actually had them planted there for you, Anna."

The younger girl blinked. "You did?"

Elsa nodded. She went still for a moment as she looked out the kitchen window, remembering. When she continued, her voice was soft, but infused great warmth and affection. "The bed had originally contained crocus but I had Father remove them and replace them with Forget-Me-Nots and Bluebells. The Forget-Me-Nots were so you wouldn't forget me… and I wouldn't forget you… and the Bluebells because they symbolize gratitude, devotion and everlasting love…", here Elsa's lashes fluttered down then up to look into her sister's face with affection. "...because that's what I felt for you, Anna."

Anna's eyes went glassy , her bottom lip quivering with emotion, and before she could stop herself, she'd launched herself at her sister, throwing her arms around her and hugging her to her so tightly it nearly knocked the wind from her elder. "I love you so much! ", Anna cried as she burst into a huge sob against her sister.

Caught off guard by the her sister's sudden impulsive embrace, Elsa let a small chuckle escape her lips but, then her eyes spilled over with tears too as Anna clung to her, her tiny body shaking with sobs.

Elsa returned the tight hug, cradling the back of her head with one hand and allowing the other one to trail up and down Anna's spine tenderly to comfort her, while she bent her head to place a soft, gentle kiss atop the younger girl's head.

"Shhhh... shhh... shhhh... honey. It's okay. ", she soothed, "I love you, too. So so much! I didn't mean to make you cry."

"It's okay. You really don't have any idea how perfect you are, do you?", she asked, leaning back to look Elsa in the face.

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Oh, honey, I am _far_ from perfect."

"To me, you are.", Anna announced cheerfully.

"Well," Elsa smiled, "you're perfect to me as well, little sister." She broke the embrace and simply stared into Anna's bright eyes for a few seconds.

And Anna couldn't help it, she felt her eyes prickling with tears again as she saw the pure, honest depth of Elsa's love for her reflected in her sister's beautiful blue eyes.

"Oh my, what have I done now?", Elsa asked.

"Nothing, Els. It- it's just the way you're looking at me."

Elsa gave her a questioning glance. "The way I'm—"

"Yes! I mean, I've dreamt of you looking at me like you're looking at me now for as long as I can remember, but I never ever thought it would actually happen. This is totally like a dream come true for me."

"Well, I've never been anybody's dream come true before.", Elsa chuckled, then she smiled softly and reached up to give Anna's cheek a loving caress. "I love you more than life itself, little one. I always have. I was just always terribly, horribly, abysmally bad at showing it."

This made Anna laugh. "It's okay. You're more than making up for it now.", she said, smiling and wiping at her eyes as she attempted to get herself back together. She cleared her throat. "S-so you're really free for the whole day?", she asked, more desperate enthusiasm than she intended creeping into her voice.

"Yes," Elsa replied, her voice filled with fondness, "the whole day. I cleared my entire schedule just to spend the whole day with my favorite person in all the world." She smiled warmly and leaned in to plant a light kiss on the younger girl's cheek, which grew immediately rosy.

"Oh really?" Anna snuffled. "And who might that be?", she teased, trying to cover her awkwardness as well as the wonderful, fluttery feeling of warmth that rushed through her the moment she felt her sister's cool lips brush so tenderly against her skin. She gazed up at Elsa with a coy smirk that she hoped to goodness would conceal the way her heart leapt at sister's continuing, uncharacteristically open displays of affection.

"Just some silly Princess who wakes up every morning with a screaming case of bed head and has a real problem taking no for an answer.", Elsa teased her back easily, favoring her shoulder with a playful bump that sent Anna's heart spiraling back up into the heavens once again. Then Elsa leaned over and plucked a strawberry from the small, nearly forgotten bag of fruit Anna had started filling for their picnic. Still trying to disguise her joy at Elsa's obvious fondness and not wanting to do anything to spoil the lighthearted interplay they had going, Anna reached over quickly and swatted her hand. But she was too late to keep her sister from popping the juicy morsel into her mouth.

"Outhhch!", Elsa squawked as she bit off the stem and savored the rest of the plump red fruit. "Too slow!", she giggled around the mouthful of berry.

"No sampling!", Anna scolded with a somewhat goofy grin.

"Oh boo hiss!", Elsa complained, sticking out her tongue and throwing the discarded remains of her berry at her sister who yelped when it hit her on the cheek. "It's taking you far too long to... decapitate those things!", she grumbled.

"Hey, you think you can do any better in the decapitation department, big sister?", she asked, "Be my guest!", Anna proclaimed, issuing a good-natured challenge and gesturing with open palms towards the remaining fruit. She took a step back from the table and looked at her sister expectantly whilst wiping the errant berry juice from her cheek with a self-conscious swipe of her thumb.

Elsa raised her brows and shrugged. "Why not?", she accepted the challenge, reaching over, grabbing one of the berries and positioning it in front of her. She held the tip with her left hand then pointed at the stem cap with the index finger of her right. In a split second, a thin jet of blue ice shot from her finger and severed the cap off neatly.

Anna's eyes lit up, "Whoa!", she said in wonder.

In response, Elsa just arched a brow and gave her an adorably smug look as she snatched a whole handful of berries from the cutting board and lined them up in front of her. Then, with lightning fast speed and accuracy Anna would not have believed had she not seen it with her own eyes, she performed the same maneuver on each of them in turn. When she finished, she made a little flourish with her hand and scooped them up, depositing them in Anna's waiting bag with a self-satisfied smirk.

Anna stood in awed silence for a minute blinking rapidly at what she'd just witnessed while Elsa watched her, her own eyes dancing in delight. Finally, Anna picked up one of the sliced off caps and examined it closely. "Wow, Elsa, this is such a clean cut, it's like it was done with a knife." Utterly intrigued, she looked up at her sister, who was beaming.

"Not too shabby, huh?", she winked, looking quite proud of herself as she nabbed one of the freshly sliced berries and popped it into her mouth, munching away on it with a knowing smile.

"Not shabby at all! It's amazing! I mean, that took so much precision, Els! I thought you said you didn't have that kind of control."

Elsa bowed her head slightly, gazing up at Anna with a mischievous look. "Well," she cleared her throat somewhat nervously, "to be completely honest, I've been... practicing a little bit at night in the ballroom while you've been sleeping." Elsa colored slightly at the revelation. "I- I wanted to surprise you, Anna.", she said shyly, giving Anna a demure smile that caused all kinds of touchy feely sensations to bubble up within the younger girl. She suddenly felt like she wanted to cry, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

"Well, I'm very impressed!"

"Oh that's nothing!", the Queen said, waving the compliment away, "Merely, the tip of the iceberg, dear sister! I mean, well… so to speak.", Elsa giggled.

Anna laughed. "I see what you did there.", she smiled.

The older woman nodded. "Oh, I have sooooo much more to show you, little one! Just you wait!", Elsa beamed cheerfully. "And I think this picnic of ours will be the perfect opportunity for it. So, c'mon now, stop dawdling!" She scooped up the bag of strawberries and deposited them in the waiting picnic basket then slung it over her arm with a determined look. "It's an absolutely gorgeous day out there, Anna and I've spent far too much of my life in this stuffy old castle! Let's not waste one more second in here when we could be out there in the sun enjoying the day together." With that, she swept past the younger girl and out the kitchen door without looking back.

"Elsa, wait!", Anna called out after her. "You forgot the..." Anna's eyes darted around the room in mild panic, "...everything!" She quickly snagged the big red and white checkered picnic blanket and draped it over her arm. Next, she snatched up the napkins and eating utensils from the opposite countertop then opened the icebox to retrieve the knapsack which contained the sandwiches she'd stashed there after she'd made them earlier that morning. While she was there, she also grabbed a jar of mustard and another of mayonnaise, hugging them both against her body and somehow managing to balance the jars and everything else precariously in her arms as she hurried out in a clumsy rush to catch up to her impatient sister.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh my!", Elsa gasped as Anna hobbled out, her arms piled high with picnic paraphernalia. "Don't drop... I mean, wait, lemme help you!", she called, setting the picnic basket down on the ground and rushing over to the younger girl. She grabbed the knapsack of sandwiches off the top of the heap and put it over her forearm then secured both of the condiment jars, one in each hand. Finally, she moved back over to the basket, opened it and stooped down to deposit everything inside. Anna came around to the other side with the remaining items and bent to start adding them.

"Here," Elsa suggested, "just give the rest to me and I'll find a place for it since I'm already down here." Anna handed her sister the things she still had in her arms and straightened. She watched in fascination as Elsa placed the items inside then re-arranged them all so everything would fit neatly into the small basket. Who knew her older sister possessed such stellar packing skills, she smiled in silent appreciation. But, then Anna made the fatal mistake of looking at Elsa herself. She was hunkered down over the basket and not paying any attention to the way that the front of her dress was gaping open... and she wasnt wearing a corset.

 _Wasn't wearing a corset…_

 _No. Corset._

 _Wait, what?_

 _WHAT?_

In fact, Anna noted, eyes widening with dawning horror, Elsa wasn't wearing any sort of foundation garment at all.

 _Holy cow!_

 _Holy cow, indeed, she thought as she found herself staring at Elsa's bare skin, her bare breasts to be exact._

 _Oh God!_ _A corset! Why the hell wasn't she wearing a damned corset? How could she not be wearing a corset? How could Anna not have noticed she wasn't wearing one when she hugged her in the kitchen just a few minutes ago? Anna would definitely have noticed. .. THOSE!_ _Maybe Elsa was worried about getting hot on the picnic? But Elsa was the snow queen. Did she even get hot, like, ever?_

Anna had a bird's eye view of her cleavage and even though she knew she should avert her eyes, she couldn't manage to tear them away. And, all at once, there was that familiar, undeniably pleasant warm tingling sensation in her core.

Because she saw… everything, in all its radiant glory. Both of Elsa's pale, milky white breasts hanging down, pendulously, their soft pink nipples brushing lightly against the fabric lining on the inside of her ice dresses' airy top.

And, _oh dear God_ , she found she couldn't ignore the way the area between her legs had started to flutter like mad. Her heart rate spiked and she was aware of blood rushing to her cheeks, she could even hear it pounding in her ears.

 _Elsa's nipples! She was staring at the bare rosy, ripened tips of Elsa's nipples! And oh God in heaven, they were gorgeous!_

She'd never in her life seen another pair of breasts so lovely. Actually, she'd never in her life seen another pair of breasts period, except for her own. And Anna's looked nothing… really nothing at all… like the ones dangling down so alluringly in front of her right now. This was probably one of the least flattering angles for a set of boobs, but Elsa's looked exquisite even at this uncomplimentary angle, drooping down so that the nipples appeared to be two sharp, ruddy pink points. In a similar situation, Anna wished hers would look half as enticing as Elsa's did. With further distress, Anna quickly realized that every time Elsa moved to rearrange the contents of the basket, her breasts swayed and jiggled.

The younger girl's face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson.

Anna had been having certain... thoughts about Elsa for years. Certain illicit thoughts. Thoughts she couldn't tell anyone about because she knew it was terribly wrong to have them about her own sister. But, try as she might, and she had tried extremely hard, she couldn't shake them, couldn't control them. She'd tried her best to banish and ignore them, but it hadn't worked. She'd even tried praying them away, but they'd only grown stronger. And now, all of those lewd thoughts came flooding back to her sensitive, overburdened psyche in torrents. Things she'd imagined doing to Elsa, things she'd imagined Elsa doing to her. And then memories of the dreams assailed her… the dreams... very visual and disturbing dreams she'd had about doing forbidden things with her sister.

These thoughts and most especially the dreams had increased tenfold since she'd seen Elsa in her ice palace for the first time. The "new" version of Elsa had caused all sorts of frightening feelings to stir within an area she'd always been told was her "naughty place" by her parents. They'd called it that when they'd caught Anna rubbing one of her dolls against herself there at the breakfast table one morning when she'd been around five years old. They'd seemed utterly mortified and humiliated by her behavior and had told her never to do that in public again and that it was a terribly, terribly naughty, really, really, bad thing to do. But all she remembered was how good it had felt to rub the doll there. ... how warm and tingly it had made her feel, how it had given her some odd sort of comfort... and she also remembered that it had been the Elsa doll she'd taken from the room she and Elsa had shared together before Anna had been shut out of it and banished to a room of her own. She often wondered if something may have happened between herself and Elsa, if she might've done something to Elsa that she had subconsciously suppressed, something that had gotten her kicked out of the older girl's room forever.

But, at this specific moment, that theory couldn't have been further from her mind as she found herself imagining just what Elsa's breasts would look like when they weren't hanging down like they were now… when Elsa was standing up straight, for example, or when she was taking a bath, how they would bounce and jiggle around when she walked.

 _No, she shouldn't be thinking that! She COULDN'T be thinking that! Elsa was her sister. Her sister!_

She repeated the same mantra she had repeated time and time again over the years but it wasn't helping. Elsa was right there in front of her and the area below Anna's waist had flared to life. It was throbbing incessantly now and there was no stopping her mind.

 _How wonderful would it feel to cup Elsa's voluptuous breasts in her hands? How would her nipples feel if they were hard and poking into her palms? How would they taste when she bent to take them in her... Oh God!_

She abruptly shook her head to dislodge the thought.

 _No, no, no! Don't do this! This is wrong, wrong, wrong! Stop! Stop! Don't look at them! Don't look! Don't..._

But it was much, much too late, she'd already seen. _Oh Lord had she seen._

 _Turn around! Turn around! Just turn around and give her some privacy. Just turn-_

Elsa picked that very moment to look up. And Anna froze, her eyes going huge.

"Is that everything?", Elsa asked innocently, gazing right into Anna's red face.

 _BUSTED!_ That was the first word that popped into Anna's brain. _Busted!_ _Literally_! She tried to keep from laughing hysterically at that as her eyes darted everywhere except for Elsa's own until they finally settled upon her sister's fair hair, the flowers she'd placed in her braid to be exact. She couldn't bear to look her in the face.

But, Elsa had no such qualms and she studied her sister closely. "Anna?", she asked as if she were trying to dislodge her sister from some sort of daze, "I said, is that everything for the picnic?".

"Y-Yes, that's it.", Anna finally managed to peep, forcing herself to turn around, her back now to her sister. She took a deep breath, attempting to keep herself from hyperventilating.

Elsa had definitely seen her staring. Anna knew she had. She'd caught her red handed.

 _She saw me looking, she saw me looking, she saw me looking..._

"Okay,", Elsa said from behind her, "I think I've got everything situated in here now."

Her words made Anna want to giggle again.

 _Need to get your boobs situated in that dress of yours, you mean, big sister!_

She covered her mouth to keep the chortle that bubbled up from deep within her at bay.

When she suddenly felt Elsa's cool hand touch her shoulder from behind, it caused the younger girl to jump. Anna turned to face her as Elsa stepped up to stand next to her and Anna tried her best not to let her gaze slip below her sister's eye level.

"I didn't mean to startle you, sweetie. Everything okay?", Elsa asked, sounding curious but not angry.

"Y-Yes. It's fine."

"But, you're all flushed, honey.", she said with so much genuine concern it caused Anna to feel even more guilty than she already did. "You look like you're about to faint. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Y-Yes. I- I guess I… just sorta got overheated getting everything together in there or- or something and I'm feeling a little bit dizzy, that's all."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. That's my fault for rushing you.", Elsa said, "Here, let me cool you off, honey."

At this, she put her arm around the younger girl's waist and Anna felt her own nipples go stiff, the coolness of Elsa's body coupled with her embarrassment and obvious arousal, causing her shiver but ironically, she felt the blush on her cheeks deepen.

"C'mon, this should make you even cooler," Elsa said, pivoting so that she was facing Anna and sliding both of her arms around her younger sibling in a full-fledged hug, pulling Anna tight against her bosom, her head resting on the young girl's shoulder. Anna tried not to tense up and made an effort to return the hug with equal fondness… even when she abruptly felt the nipples in question being pressed firmly into her own chest. With mild panic, she realized that Elsa's nipples had indeed gone hard, as she could feel them poking into her even through the thin layers of fabric that now separated the two girls.

And, instead of getting cooler, Anna felt hotter.

A lot hotter. And the area below her waist was quietly going berserk!

Elsa leaned back and looked into Anna's face. Anna tried to keep her expression blank but she wasn't sure how good of a job she did. Her entire body felt like it could explode any second.

"Better?", Elsa asked hopefully.

Anna nodded, even though she was actually feeling worse. "A little.", she said and hoped she sounded sincere.

"Good.", Elsa smiled and continued gazing into her eyes. "It was so thoughtful of you to pick those flowers for me this morning."

"It-It was nothing."

"Oh yes, it was. No one has ever picked flowers for me in my entire life before, honey. It really touched my heart.", Elsa smiled. "I want to give you a little something in return."

She let her go and backed up a step.

"Watch this.", she said.

Elsa held her hands up, right at the level of her breasts.

O _f course, Anna thought, right at breast level, how original! That was all she needed right now._

Elsa opened her palm, then she twirled the fingers of her other hand just above it. There was a small orb of white-blue light and a swirl of snowflakes which shimmered and formed themselves into a small, perfect bouquet of Forget-Me-Nots made completely of ice. They hovered just above the palm of Elsa's hand as Anna watched, mesmerized.

Anna tried to _just_ look at the flowers floating in her sister's hand, she really did. Elsa's powers were impressive and she wanted to show her how much she appreciated that fact. And Anna probably could have managed to do this, too, had her attention not been drawn away by something else, even as she blinked in wonder at the newly created flowers. Because it seemed that out here, in the sunlight, the front of Elsa's ice dress had become nearly transparent. Well, maybe not transparent but definitely diaphanous enough to see the darker outline of Elsa's areolas right through the light periwinkle color of the ice fabric that was clinging to Elsa's ample bosom.

Anna gasped involuntarily and Elsa took it as a reflection on her new creation.

"Does that mean you like them?", Elsa asked, looking a the small bouquet in her hand with a giggle.

And suddenly Anna was smiling ear to ear. "Oh yes! I do! I love them! They're absolutely amazing, Els. Just beautiful!" She was pleased to find that Elsa's little gift had served to grant her permission to ogle her elder's breasts freely with Elsa being none the wiser.

If she'd been looking at Elsa's face, however, Anna would have seen just how thrilled her reaction had made the Queen. "Oh that makes me feel so wonderful, Anna.", Elsa said enthusiastically. "Now, let's put them in your hair."

Anna's heart was racing as Elsa leaned over and reached up to begin threading the flowers into Anna's ginger colored braids, the older woman's chest was nearly touching hers and she could smell Elsa's wonderful scent. She forced herself to close her eyes and just concentrate on that pleasing fragrance in order to calm her breathing. Finally Elsa finished and pulled away.

"There! Oh, I think you look just lovely.", she beamed, undoubtedly quite satisfied with her efforts. Then did a little flourish with her hand and created a mirror out of another poof of snow. Anna looked at herself in it and saw that Elsa had twined the stems quite elaborately through her hair. It was very artistic and Elsa was right, they looked quite beautiful. She tried to concentrate on only her hair because she didn't want to gaze at her reflection and be forced to confront herself after all those lewd thoughts she'd been having about her very sweet and completely winsome older sister. She smiled and managed to shake most of them away.

"Thank you, Els. You're right, they look great! You're so talented!", she smiled.

"Oh you haven't seen anything yet!", Elsa gushed and Anna couldn't help but grin, it was so marvelous to see Elsa this excited to show her something. And Anna had to admit, her older sister's enthusiasm was quite contagious.

Elsa looked over at her, her eyes dancing with delight. She raised her hands in the air. "Are you ready?", she asked eagerly.

"Oh yes, do the magic, my Queen.", Anna nodded and gave her an encouraging smile. "Do the magic."

For a split second, Elsa's face lit up with an expression of utter joy like Anna had never seen before. Then, Elsa froze, a maelstrom of blue and violet flecks suddenly churning themselves to life and swirling through the deep turquoise of her eyes. She looked intently into Anna's own eyes, her face going even paler than it usually was.

"What? What is it?", Anna asked, suddenly inundated with doubt and concern. She'd only seen a look that equaled the passion of the one on Elsa's face right now once, and that had been just before she'd fled Arendelle. The look on that night had been one of fear and dread though. This one, although quite similar, was a different look altogether. However, it was just as intense. "You look like you've just seen a ghost. Wha-What did I say? "

"Do- Do you...", Elsa's eyes filled up, "remember?", she asked, voice trembling with emotion.

"Remember? No, I... I dont-"

"You used to say that to me when we were kids. When we would play together. Before Grand Pabbie wiped away all your memories of my...", here, her voice broke, "my ice magic."

Anna felt her eyes turning glassy, she wanted to remember what Elsa was saying more than anything in the world but she couldn't. She'd just said what she'd said to her because it seemed… right, somehow, but she had no memory of ever having said anything like that before in the past.

"I- I'm really sorry, Els, but I can't remember that."

Elsa' s face fell and Anna realized what the look she'd seen before had been. Hope. It had been hope. And now Anna's words had dashed that hope, turned it into cold despair. Elsa nodded and a look Anna knew all too well crept into place and covered Elsa's features: the look of cool detachment. Her mask. The one she always hid behind to avoid being hurt. Anna hated more than anything that she had made Elsa feel so sad, that she'd given her false hope, hated herself for not being able to remember something so simple and obviously so meaningful to her beautiful elder sister.

Elsa shook her head and blinked rapidly, quickly wiping at her eyes, clearly embarrassed for showing so much emotion to the younger girl.

"No, no, don't apologize.", she said, "Of course you can't. I'm only being silly. I'm sorry to be such a downer.", she said and tried to laugh.

"Oh Els, never. You're never a downer. I _want_ to remember. I want to remember so much. More than anything."

"I know you do, honey." Elsa tried to smile. "And I wish you could, too." She looked off into the distance and Anna saw her mask slip just a little bit as she remembered. "You know, Papa always called the things I could do 'powers' or 'abilities' or even a 'curse'. But you, dear Anna," she looked at her sister warmly, the mask completely falling away and her eyes filling with unbidden tears, "you called them 'magic'.", she said softly, her face collapsing as she allowed the tears to finally flow down her cheeks. "I love you so much.", she managed in a tight whisper even though her voice was trembling with tears.

"Oh God, Elsa! , Anna cried, her face filling with emotion. "I love you, too. More than life itself." She took Elsa in her arms then and held her tight, tears spilling down her own cheeks now. Elsa's shoulders hunched over and she broke. She cried with her sister. Cried like Anna had never seen her cry before in her life. Cried until they both fell to the ground on their knees. Anna never wanted to let her go.

At last, Elsa pulled back and let her fingers trace Anna's cheeks delicately, wiping away her tears with her index finger and brushing back her hair to kiss her forehead, cheeks and finally the tip of her nose softly. She cleared her throat and finally found her voice. "You're by far the best thing that ever happened to me, little sister. I can never make up for those 13 years of shutting you out but I'm certainly going to do my best to try."

"Elsa, you don't have to make up for anything. None of that was your fault. It was our parents. They meant well, but they did the worst thing they could've possibly done by separating us for so long. It damaged both of us in different ways, but I'll never, ever blame you for that. "

"Well, thank you, honey. I am so sorry and ashamed about the way I treated you at the Coronation. You wanted to get close, show me how much you'd missed me, how much you cared for me, and I just pushed you away... again.", she sighed.

"Elsa, don't apologize for that. I understand why you did it now. And the thing about Hans, well, you were completely right about that, Els. I should've listened to you."

"Anna, if you'd listened to me, I'd never have run away. And, if I'd never run away, nothing would have changed. I'm so glad you _didn't_ listen. I'm just sorry I... I froze... your-"

"Elsa, stop," Anna interrupted, "don't do this to yourself. It's okay. We're both here now and we're safe and we love each other like crazy. And none of that will ever, ever change. All of that bad stuff had to happen for us to get where we are right at this very moment. But it's all over and done now and we can finally move on with our lives… together."

Elsa gazed up at her and grinned even though her eyes were glistening with fresh tears. "When did you get so smart, little sister?"

Anna gave her a mischievous grin. "Oh, I got it from my big sister," she said with a wink and it made Elsa laugh. "Now, enough of this mushy love stuff," Anna announced. "Wasn't there something you wanted to show me?"

"Oh yes," Elsa giggled then sniffed and wiped at her eyes self-consciously. "Yes, you're right, there was! I just hope I can manage it now after all that drama!", she grinned at the younger girl.

"I have complete faith in you, big sister. Now...", Anna said, eyes flashing brilliantly, "don't keep me in suspense… do the magic!"

The smile that spread across Elsa's face at this delighted Anna completely. Elsa nodded. "It would be my supreme pleasure, your highness.", she said, bowing to her sister slightly, eyes twinkling with joy.

The Queen raised her hands above her head once more, her face glowing with determination. She took a deep breath. Snow began to spiral up from the ground. Three small vortexes of it, arranged in a triangular formation, whirled to life… getting bigger and bigger and for a scary moment, Anna was worried that Elsa might be losing control. But when she looked at her sister's face, it possessed the same solid look of steadfast resolve as it had when she'd started. Elsa looked completely sure of herself. Anna could tell she knew exactly what she was doing and wondered why she'd ever doubted her.

The snow started to swirl into Anna's eyes, so she raised her arm to deflect it. A split second later, the flakes cleared and she was gazing upon a beautifully detailed royal carriage led by two spirited white Fjord Horses. All made completely out of glistening ice.

"Whoa!", Anna said, tears welling up in her eyes. Not counting Elsa's ice palace, which she'd not actually watched her sister create, it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen Elsa make. "Elsa, it-it's…"

"You like?"

Anna didn't trust her voice not to break so she just nodded vigorously.

"Your chariot, m'lady!", Elsa said, going into a deep bow while making a grand gesture towards the cab. Anna forced herself to look at the carriage rather than Elsa's prone figure and with great relief, found the dull aching throb at her center had almost completely dissipated, which wasn't really all that surprising considering everything that had just transpired between them. But, just to be on the safe side, she concentrated on the doorknob as her older sister straightened and reached over to clasp Anna's warm hand in her cool one, leading her to the ornately carved door. Elsa opened it for her and helped Anna in. Then, she scooped up the picnic basket and proceeded to get in beside her sister and close the door behind her. She sat down and placed the basket on the floor next to her.

"Ummmm…", Anna began, " _soooo_ not a criticism, but don't we um… need a driver?"

"Nope.", Elsa looked over at her and smiled sweetly, scooting herself closer to Anna. "They're _my_ horses. They will go wherever I like. They're really just for show anyway. To make my little sister go 'oooo' and 'ahhh'."

"For show?", Anna shook her head. "I don't get it.", she said, giving Elsa a sidelong glance.

Elsa grinned. "You see," she explained, "as long as I am in physical contact with anything I create, it will do whatever I desire. There's a little of me in all of my creations, so each one knows what I'm thinking and will do whatever I wish."

"Shut! Up!", Anna exclaimed, utterly captivated, "Are you saying the stuff you make can, like… read your mind?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, little one.", Elsa agreed with a laugh. "Yes, it can."

"Have I told you lately how amazing you are, big sister?", Anna asked gazing up at her with adoration.

At this, Elsa's eyes sparkled and she flashed Anna a smile so radiant that Anna suddenly felt like she could walk on air. "Oh, only about a hundred and fifty times a day," Elsa said, "but I'll never be as amazing as you are, little sister."

Anna flushed at the compliment, then she sighed happily. "Oh Elsa, I could never be more amazing than you. I have no doubt that you're, far and away, the most amazing person who has ever lived."

"Well, jeez, Anna, no pressure or anything", Elsa giggled.

Then, she leaned over and gave Anna a small, loving peck on the cheek before snuggling up to her contentedly, nestling her body firmly into Anna's side and resting her head upon Anna's shoulder. She let her left hand slip gently under Anna's right elbow, then permitted her cool fingers slide up the sensitive, underside of Anna's forearm, causing a shiver to run through the ginger haired girl. When Elsa reached her palm, she threaded her fingers through Anna's, interlacing them softly. Anna looked up at her and smiled, her heart filling with pure warmth at the action. "So, my dear sweet Princess," Elsa sighed and raised Anna's hand up to her lips, kissing the back of it tenderly before lowering it to her own lap, still clasping it with affection, "where should we go for our first picnic?"

Anna trembled involuntarily at Elsa's words. Thinking how much she'd love to just stay right here with her sister like this forever, all cuddled up and cozy. It felt so good. Initially, she tried not to think about just how wonderful it did feel to have Elsa's cool body nuzzled up against her own. But then, against her better judgment, Anna felt herself relaxing into her sister. This closeness… this level of intimacy between the two of them, it felt very, very right. Especially after what had just happened outside the carriage; Elsa breaking down in her arms, finally getting rid of at least some of her years of guilt in a flood of tears and emotion that she'd allowed Anna to share in. This sort of contact, this love between them, it was what Anna had dreamed of for nearly her whole life. What both of them had dreamed of. And now, it was happening. For the first time in a long time, Anna actually felt comfortable, not anxious, with this much physical contact from Elsa. She wasn't sure why but she had a sneaking suspicion it was to do with the fact that they were finally truly alone together. No chance of anyone seeing them, judging them. She could be as loving with her sister as she wanted. She leaned into Elsa and sighed in utter contentment, squeezing her hand tightly.

"Since I chose what we are doing, why don't you decide where we go, your Majesty?", Anna suggested.

"I would love to choose, but lest you forget, Anna, I've not been any place except the castle here in Arendelle and my palace on the North Mountain since I was 8 years old. I have no idea what's even around here anymore."

"Well, I don't know much more than you do.", Anna confessed. "I mean, I am familiar with the castle grounds but I don't know much at all about anything beyond the gates either. Maybe we should get out of the cab and sit up front where the coachman would be so we can just look around for a good spot."

"What a splendid idea!", Elsa readily agreed.

Anna started to reach for the door handle, but Elsa stopped her.

"No, don't move, honey. Just stay put and leave the rest to me. You're with the Snow Queen, remember?.", Elsa winked and let go of Anna's hand, raising her palms in the air and swiveling them around in a graceful, circular motion.

Suddenly, Anna felt the entire cab begin to shimmy and shake as it radically altered its shape and transformed underneath them. "Whooooaaaaa!", she cried with excited little girl glee.

"Hold on!", Elsa told her, raising her voice above the sound of the ice shifting beneath them.

Snow whirled all around them while Anna watched in awe as the bench across from she and Elsa shimmered and disappeared. The cab began to shrink and Anna could feel the bench upon which they sat being pushed forward and up. When everything stopped moving, Anna looked around and found she and her sister were now sitting, quite cozily in a glistening white hansom cab with an overhanging, icicle fringed canopy, still drawn by the same two white Fjord Horses Elsa had conjured up a few moments earlier.

"Oh my _God_ , Elsa!", Anna gushed, her eyes the size of dinner plates and completely ablaze with wild, unfettered excitement, "That was… wow! I mean, just… wow! There are no words to describe how incredibly, unbelievably awesome that was!"

Elsa laughed softly, gazing into Anna's eager, exhilarated eyes and looking completely delighted at her sister's reaction. "Oh I don't know, I think 'incredibly, unbelievably awesome' will do nicely.", she said and flashed the younger girl a warm, knowing smile. "I had a feeling you might enjoy it."

"Oh I more than enjoyed it, Els. I don't think anything could ever top that! It was super amazing, one of the biggest thrills of my life. Ever! "

"Better than the rides at the Fair?", Elsa asked with a giggle.

Anna's eyes lit up, remembering. "Oh _so_ much better... not that I've actually _ridden_ any of those rides since Mama and Papa took us when we were little, but… this...", she indicated the cab that now surrounded them, "...this is still way, _waaaay_ better, I'm sure."

Elsa looked over at her warmly. "Well, you haven't seen anything yet, baby sister.", she grinned. "The only unfortunate detail about this new contraption is that it's not enclosed and we will be exposed to the sweltering heat of the day. So, it's a good thing I have built in air conditioning.", she grinned, waggling her eyebrows at her sister and pulling her close to her cool body snugly.

"Yes, a very good thing.", Anna agreed, nuzzling up to her sister and letting out a contented sigh.

"Now," Elsa said, "let's get his show on the road." She made a small graceful gesture with her hand and the cab began to roll forward smoothly, the horses drawing it settling easily into a slow canter.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:** _ **Well, this went in a different direction than I was expecting but I was pleased with the result. Hope you are enjoying the story so far. If so, please do take a moment to jot down a short review. Any words of encouragement are always appreciated. And, thanks so much for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author's Note:_ Sorry it has been awhile since I updated. I hope you like this chapter. It is longer than I anticipated, with a lot of reminiscing and some background on both girls. I promise the Elsanna _is_ coming, but it won't be in this chapter... well not much anyway.**

They rode for a long time in silence, nestled against one another gently, taking comfort in the contact and just listening to the sweet melody of the birds and the constant reassuring beat of the horse's hooves against the soft ground, each girl lost in her own thoughts.

Finally, Elsa broke the silence, "Anna?", she whispered softly.

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking... you know what you said to me, about doing the magic..."

Anna nodded.

"I realize you told me you couldn't remember ever saying it to me in the past, but, Anna, that's so specific. I mean out of all the random things you could've said to me, you chose to say that."

"Well, yeah... I can't explain it, really. It just came to me, very naturally... like it was what I should say, what I was supposed to say, somehow. I know that doesn't make any sense but..."

"See, here's the thing, I think it _does_ make sense, Anna. A lot of sense. I think maybe your conscious mind doesn't remember it but perhaps your subconscious mind does."

Anna looked up at her, her face lighting up as her brain connected the dots and she blinked in sudden comprehension. "Oh my God, Els, does that mean..?"

"That there could be hope?", Elsa ventured, eyes ablaze with optimism and a smile on her face so big that it nearly made her eyes squint shut. "Yes! I believe so!"

"Wow! You really think so?"

"I do! I mean, I know it's only a theory, but I am guessing that the longer time we spend together, the more likely your subconscious thoughts will filter their way through to your conscious ones."

"And I'll remember... everything!", Anna reasoned in disbelief, eyes dancing with utter delight.

Elsa nodded eagerly. "It won't all happen at once, of course. I don't think everything will come flooding back to you in one fell swoop or anything. And, we shouldn't force it. But I _do_ think that the more we are together, especially while I'm using my powers, the more of these repressed memories will bubble up to the surface. At least that's what I'm hoping and praying will happen."

"So you'll just have to use your powers more often and..."

Before Anna could finish her sentence, Elsa had taken the hint, flexing her fingers in a small upward motion that resulted in five perfectly formed ice butterflies springing to life from each extended digit. Three blue ones and two white. They fluttered up in front of Anna's entranced face. The smallest blue one, which had emerged from Elsa's pinky finger, alit softly on the tip of Anna's nose and the feel if its cool feet on her skin made her giggle. Her eyes crossed as she watched it and that caused Elsa to start giggling herself.

"Flutterbys!, Elsa announced happily.

"Butterflies, Els!", Anna corrected.

"Ahhh, but that's not what you used to call them!", Elsa beamed.

Anna smiled stupidly back at her, her eyes still glued in fascination to the small creature perched on her nose. "His little feet tickle!"

"Her.", Elsa advised gently.

" _Her_ little feet tickle.", Anna amended.

The insect moved her tiny, iridescent wings up and down, testing them out a bit, before flying up to join her siblings flittering around the fringe dangling from the overhanging roof of their hansom cab. Anna's heart was filled with joy at the experience and she couldn't stop grinning. "That was amazing, Els."

"It was nothing.", Elsa waved away the compliment.

"Are you kidding? It was magical. I can totally understand why I used to ask you to 'do the magic' when I was little."

Elsa looked quite pleased by Anna's words. "Well, thank you, little one. I don't think I tell you often enough how nice it is to be able to share my powers with someone who appreciates them and isn't afraid."

"Els, you know I was never afraid of you or what you could do. Not at the coronation, not when you froze Arendelle, not even when you created a giant snowman and had him escort Kristoff and me out of your place. Not ever."

"Not even when I froze your heart?", Elsa asked, glanced up at her with a pained look in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Oh Els, stop. I know you didn't mean to do that. You'd never hurt me. That was an accident. And I'll never blame you for it.", she told her softly, honest eyes gazing into Elsa's with sincerity.

Elsa inhaled a weary breath. "I'll _always_ blame me for it.", she said quietly and looked away, but not before Anna noticed tears welling up in her eyes.

Anna reached over and turned her face back to hers. Elsa blinked and the tears slipped down her cheeks, flash freezing on them about halfway down.

"I forgive you, Elsa. For everything. For all of it." Anna leaned in and let her warm lips brush softly against her sister's cool forehead. Elsa let out a sigh and looked up into Anna's caring eyes. Something unexplainable passed between them in that moment. Anna wasn't even sure she understood it herself. But, she had an abrupt, nearly overwhelming urge to kiss her sister's lips and she could see what appeared to be the same urge darkening Elsa's eyes, too. It looked as if Elsa very much wanted Anna to kiss her. Anna had never seen Elsa look at her in that way before. And she had to admit, it excited her... alot. Then, she watched as Elsa forced it away and her eyes changed, lightened... they still looked quite emotional and extremely loving, but the fiery hunger Anna had just witnessed was gone, replaced by a more appropriate, wholly familial and sisterly expression. In fact, the look had vanished so completely that Anna found herself wondering if it had ever really been there in the first place… if she had just been imagining it all.

The next thing she knew, Elsa's cool fingers were reaching up to stroke her cheek tenderly. Anna leaned into the touch. "Thank you, honey.", Elsa breathed softly, she let her thumb swipe across the younger girl's cheek, whisking away a tear Anna didn't even realize she'd shed.

Anna pulled back and shook her head, blinking furiously to stave off any further waterworks. "So, as I was saying," she began, clearing the lump from her throat, "you'll be using your powers more often and we'll be sticking to each other like glue from here on out then, right?"

"I couldn't think of anything in the world I'd love better, little one!", Elsa answered happily, any evidence of her earlier lustful inclinations totally gone. "Although, every now and again, I do have to do that whole Sovereign Ruler of Arendelle bit, you understand.", she winked playfully.

And, suddenly, it didn't matter if Elsa felt the same way about Anna that Anna felt about her. All Anna cared about was the fact that she had her adorable big sister back again. She'd forgotten just how much fun Elsa could be. She wasn't the stuffy old fart that she had accused herself of being back in the kitchen earlier that morning. Not at all. And she never had been. It was just that most people never got to see the real Elsa. The silly, thoroughly upbeat young girl that Anna had spent so much time with as a small child. The Elsa everyone else saw was the one she presented to the public, to her royal subjects: the detached, aloof ruler… which was just Elsa emulating their father. Yes, Elsa was genteel and cultured, yes, she was well-spoken and elegant, just as a Queen should be, but she was also extremely clever, with a sharp, mischievous wit and a self-deprecating sense of humor that she would only reveal once she knew you extremely well. Once she trusted you unequivocally. Truly, Anna and their parents were really the only ones who ever actually knew the real Elsa. And, since their parents were long gone now, Anna considered herself privileged to be the only one with whom Elsa shared her true self so freely… just as she had when they were children. Anna was glad to know she still trusted her that much even after all those years of separation. Elsa's innate wit had never failed to charm and beguile Anna. And, Anna was overjoyed to see that all those years of seclusion had not dampened Elsa's inherent silliness in the least.

"Oh, pish posh", Anna said, in the most affected and snooty royal voice she could muster. "That tired old monarchy business _again_?", she sighed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in feigned annoyance. "Well if you must insist, I suppose, sister dear."

"I'm afraid I simply must.", Elsa replied, mimicking and surpassing Anna's effete voice and condescending manner. "The populace can be _so_ terribly restless when they don't have someone flouncing around wearing a crown."

"Well, so long as it's only on occasion, dear sister.", Anna giggled, unable to keep up the façade any longer.

"I promise..." Elsa replied, still in lofty queen mode.

But Anna had lost it and couldn't stop laughing "You know you're really good at that whole holier-than-thou, hoity toity thing, Els."

"You think?", Elsa asked, dropping the superior tone and attitude.

"Oh yeah, you should, like, maybe be queen or something.", Anna winked.

Elsa laughed easily. "Yeah. Or something!", she grinned.

"Oh Els, I love this.", Anna said cheerfully, "Us, kidding around like this. It's so nice. Just like old times. I love it so much."

"Me, too.", Elsa agreed with a contented sigh. "Remember when we used to drive Mama and Papa absolutely crazy putting on those silly voices? And Papa used to scold us and say—"

"-Cultured young ladies do not mock of their stations in life.", Anna finished for her, lowering her voice an octave and doing the best impression of their father that she could muster. "You are Princesses of the Realm!"  
"Elsa," the Queen continued, doing her own quite passable impression of King Agdar. "you will be Queen one day! Your behavior is more representative of a commoner than that of royalty." Elsa chuckled to herself and shook her head as she returned to her normal speaking voice. "And, all I could think back then was that I wanted _any_ thing else in the world but to be Queen."

"Yeah, well, he knew better than to ever say that to me!", Anna laughed. "I was never Queen material, even back then!"

"Well, he probably just realized that chronic bedhead is a bad look for the Supreme Ruler.", Elsa said, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Yeah," Anna nodded, "that or the fact that stepping in horse poop and tracking it through the castle on regular basis leaves a not so good impression."

"Oh yeah!", Elsa cried, eyes lighting up at the memory, "You got in _so_ much trouble for that!"

"I don't know what that horse had against me.", Anna shook her head.

"It wasn't the horse, Anna!", Elsa reminded her. "You just never looked where you were going!"

Anna laughed. "Well, nothing has changed much.", she smiled.

"Remember when you kicked the Duke of Corona in the shins?!", Elsa said with a huge laugh. "Oh my heavens, I had to bite my tongue so hard not to completely lose my self-control on that one. It was hilarious!"

"How could I forget _that!?_ ", Anna rolled her eyes at the memory, "I was not allowed chocolate for a month!"

"It was only a week, Anna!", Elsa refreshed her memory.

"Well, I was five. It _felt_ like a month.", the younger girl smiled, "Old geezer deserved to be kicked anyway. He reeked of sweat and livestock and he insisted on kissing the back of my hand… and his moustache was full of his dinner."

Elsa wrinkled her nose. "Ew!", she said and laughed. "But he _was_ only trying to be polite and respectful of your title."

"Yeah, that's what Papa and Mama told me too, but he wasn't. He was just a disgusting, smelly, gross old man. And his whiskers were scratchy. And, I don't care if it was bad manners, I'd do it again today!"

"Would you now?", Elsa smiled.

"I _so_ would! His lips felt like raw slimy liver against my skin!"

"Ewwww!", Elsa said again, making a face and shaking her head in disgust before laughing at Anna's detailed description.

"It was almost worth being denied chocolate."

Elsa's brows climbed to her hairline. "Was it, really?"

"I said 'almost'!", Anna winked.

"Well, he clearly made an impression on you!"

Anna nodded. "Clearly! And, not a good one. Ugh! Repulsive old geezer."

Elsa looked up in the air and smiled, remembering. "Gosh, it was _so_ hard to control myself," she chuckled at the memory. "And then when I saw Mama!"

'What about Mama?"

"Oh she nearly lost it!"

"She did?", Anna was suddenly enthralled.

"Oh totally.", Elsa grinned, eyes sparkling with nostalgia. "She thought it was just as funny as I did, of not more so. And she did a _way_ worse job of controlling herself than I did!"

Anna's face brightened. "Really?"

"Yes, I saw her eyes light up when you did it and before she could contain it, a huge, kinda goofy smile spread across her face. I remember thinking just how much her expression reminded me of one I'd seen you make. Most people used to always comment on how much I looked like our mother, but in that moment, when she was making that face, I could only see you."

"Really? I don't remember ever seeing Mama make a silly face like that."

"That's most likely because she was trying to be extra careful around you not to show it. Papa had probably warned her that it would set a bad example for a child who already made plenty of silly faces on her own to have her mother contribute to the repertoire.", Elsa smiled.

"Probably. You're right.", Anna grinned. "But it's nice to know my goofy faces came naturally. Thank you for telling me that."

"Welcome, of course, honey", Elsa nodded. "Anyway, I remember that Mama had to cover her mouth and bow her head and sort of step back behind Papa so no one would notice her reaction, including you!", she smiled. "Then, later on, I overheard them talking after they sent you to your room. Father was furious and humiliated. He wanted you to go without supper for a week."

Anna blinked. "No supper? That's a little harsh for a growing Princess. Even one who is a total screw up."

"You weren't a screw up, Anna," Elsa reassured softly, "I cornered the market on that one long before you were born."

"No, you-", but Elsa put a finger to Anna's lips, staying her tongue.

"Oh, I did. But let me finish the story. Father was adamant but Mother managed to convince him to just deny you chocolate for a week instead. Said that would teach you more of a lesson. So, as horrible a punishment as skipping chocolate for a week seemed to your five year old brain, if it hadn't have been for Mama, it could have been so much worse."

Anna felt her eyes starting to sting with tears. "Oh Elsa, she did that for me?"

Elsa nodded quietly. "She most certainly did."

"Oh, Els, I miss them so much!"

"I know, honey. Me, too. But we've got each other now," Elsa said, hugging her tighter, "finally."

"Yes, and about time, too!", Anna breathed, snuggling closer into her elder sister.

She looked up into Elsa's eyes and they were warm and filled with love. "This was such a good idea you had, Anna. Us getting away to ourselves for a while.", she said and the hand holding Anna's clasped it tighter. Then Elsa leaned over to give Anna a light peck on the cheek. "I love being with you like this, you know? Reconnecting. We've needed it for so, so long."

"We really have.", Anna bobbed her head in agreement, "You know, I could stay out here with you like this from now on, Els. Do we really _have_ to go back to that stuffy old castle? Like, ever? "

"Wellllll, I suppose I _could_ put Olaf in charge.", Elsa grinned playfully.

Anna chuckled. "Now _that_ would be a sight to see. Warm hugs for everyone!", she smiled at the thought. "But, better than Marshmallow, I suppose."

"Hey now, don't judge! Mushy is an absolute sweetheart...", Elsa said, bumping Anna's arm playfully, "... _once_ you get to know him."

"'Mushy'?", Anna was suddenly grinning ear to ear.

Elsa nodded. "I mean, yes, he _does_ have a bit of a temper, especially when it comes to me. And yes, he _can_ be a little over protective. But under normal circumstances he's a huge push over, just a like a big fluffy teddy bear... a teddy bear the size of a small house, it's true, but a teddy bear just the same."

"Marshmallow? A teddy bear?", Anna raised her brows.

"He _is!_ And his name isn't 'Marshmallow'. That's just what Olaf started calling him. His name is 'Devon'."

At this, Anna cackled loudly. "Oh my God! Devon?", she giggled, nearly uncontrollably. " _Devon?!_ "

"Yes," Elsa nodded, lifting her shoulders haughtily and sitting up straighter beside Anna, "What of it? Devon is a perfectly lovely name."

"For a gallant prince maybe!", Anna returned with a flippant smile.

"Devon _is_ gallant, Anna!", Elsa snapped defensively, "He is extremely brave and I have no doubt that he would protect me with his very life should the circumstance arise. Can't get more gallant than that!"

"Oh Els, don't be offended!", Anna grinned at her sister's protectiveness. "I'm not making fun, I promise! It's just that the name 'Devon' doesn't really seem to fit a giant snowman."

"Maybe not, but I always wanted a son called 'Devon' and that... 'giant snowman' is the closest I'll probably ever get to one."

And Anna suddenly felt like an arrow had been shot through her heart, or more accurately, a whole quiver of them. "Oh Els, don't say that! You'll have kids one day. I'm sure of it!"

Elsa gave her a small smile. "I'm not. In fact, I seriously doubt it, honey. And even if I did find a husband, I doubt I could carry a child to full term with my condition. I do need to produce an heir somehow, though. I guess I could just name one. Elizabeth did that a while back in England when she didn't marry. Or, I suppose could adopt a child, but..."

"What do you mean 'name an heir' or 'adopt'? Don't be silly, Els. You'll meet someone and marry him and you'll have tons of kids of your own.", Anna said with enthusiasm.

Elsa exhaled tiredly. "Will I?"

"Of course, you will, Els! All kinds of little heirs running around the castle, playing with Olaf."

"Anna," the Queen sighed, "nature tends not to allow people like me to even exist, never mind reproduce."

"What are you talking about, Els? Mama carried you with no problem."

"Yes, she did, but when I was born, my skin was icy cold, Anna. The midwives thought it was a stillbirth. No one understood what I was. If it hadn't been for Mama realizing I was breathing, I would have been taken from the castle and left to the elements. Exposed. But, she stopped them, forbade them from touching me. From what I've been told, Papa thought I was an aberration, that I could be dangerous and he implored her to let them take me away. But Mama would have none of it. She insisted they keep me and raise me as best they could to be Queen one day. I would be dead, if it weren't for her, Anna. I would never have been given a chance. Sometimes I love her for that and sometimes I… I wish she'd listened to Papa."

"Elsa, don't say that.", Anna begged, her brows knitting together in concern and her eyes glassy with compassionate tears.

"But, it's true.", she sighed grimly. "However," she cleared her throat and tried to brighten a bit, "because of you, I'm thankful that she allowed me to survive."

Anna squeezed her sister's hand tighter.

"Anyway," Elsa continued, "picking up where I left off... most children who are born different, like I was, don't even make it as far as the birth process itself. The mother typically miscarries them in the first or second trimester, long before they are due. But, when someone like me is conceived, actually comes to term and survives being born, if she is a female, she is almost always born infertile."

"Oh.", Anna blinked, "As in not able to have a baby?"

"That's right.", Elsa nodded. "As in Nature is wise, honey. It doesn't allow another permutation to occur."

"Per Mew what?", Anna asked, trying to get her mouth around the word.

"Permutation. A variation in what is normal. In other words, a mistake, Anna.", she breathed, "And, Mother Nature always tries to correct her mistakes."

"You were _not_ a mistake, Elsa!", Anna blurted immediately. "Don't even think that!"

"I appreciate that you feel that way, little one. I really do.", she smiled a weary, resigned smile. "But, it's okay. I know that I was. And I've accepted it. Actually, I was being rather kind. I'm sure some would go as far as to say that I was... I _am_ an abomination."

Anna blinked at her in shock. "Elsa, you are _not!_ Please stop talking like that!"

"I'm just being honest, honey. People fear what they don't understand and when people are afraid of something, they tend to say and believe incredibly hurtful things about it... whether or not they're true. They tend to persecute rather than try to understand or live in peace with it. Growing up in that room by myself was terrible, yes, but at least it sheltered me from some things, some... people in the world. Mama and Papa were even afraid of me to a degree which is why I was shut away in the first place. They never completely trusted me... my powers. If they'd let me practice them, things would've been a lot better. But because of their fear of my abilities and the unknown extent of what I could do, they caused irreparable damage to both of us. I _did_ love them deeply, of course, but they were misguided."

"Sadly, I believe I would have to agree with you there. I loved them to pieces, but after I found out what happened, what they did to you... to _us_ , I hated them a little bit too.", Anna looked away.

Elsa pulled her closer. "Try not to hate them, Anna.", she told her softly, "It's best to forgive them. They were good people and they thought they were doing the right thing. They were just acting from fear instead of love... which is what Grand Pabbie tried to warn them against but they misunderstood his advice and sort of twisted it and it caused harm to both of us."

Anna nodded, wanly. "You're right.", she sighed.

"And all of this is also why I will probably never find a husband in the first place... people's inherent fear of what they don't understand or haven't experienced. No man would ever have me.", Elsa admitted quietly.

"Um, now on that, I beg to differ, big sister.", Anna said, voice filled with absolute resolve. "Men fall at your feet wherever you go. They never even give me a second look if I'm with you."

Elsa sighed, regarding Anna with a kind expression that bespoke of experiences that Anna would never have or even comprehend. "Honey, this is just what we've been talking about.", she said and her voice sounded kind, almost motherly. "They're afraid of me. That's why they behave that way. You're not seeing it because you're not afraid of me and you've never been. You don't have any frame of reference for knowing what fear looks like because your mere presence doesn't instill it. Mine, however, sadly does. You've never felt the horrible emptiness that comes from seeing someone shrink away from you or look at you with eyes full of doubt and mistrust."

"The look that I see in their eyes isn't fear or doubt or mistrust, though, Els. It's lust."

Elsa shook her head gently. "It'so not lust, Anna."

"Els, no offense, but you have been holed up in your room for 13 years. You don't have a clue what lust looks like."

"And you do, baby sister?", she asked, placing emphasis in the word 'baby'.

"More than you!", Anna retorted, "I may be 3 years younger and I know you think I'm naive but I've had more experiences with people than you have. Even though I couldn't leave the castle grounds, I've interacted more."

"I have a window in my room, Anna. I was able to observe an amazing amount of 'life', which I couldn't actually live or participate in, through that pane of glass. I know about the crush the stable boy had on you. The way he couldn't take his eyes off the bounce of your chest when you were riding. The way he watched your backside swaying to and fro when you walked back to the castle after a ride. That was lust, Anna. Pure and simple. So, believe me, I know what it looks like. And, the way men look at me isn't with lust, honey, it's with dread."

Anna's face had turned bright red. She didn't even hear the last sentence. When did this go from being about Elsa's glaring lack of self-confidence to Anna's less than stellar love life, or lack thereof? And, how could Elsa have seen all that just watching from her window? Anna hadn't even noticed any of that herself. If she didn't know better, she'd say that Elsa sounded... well, almost, kinda, sorta... jealous?!

 _Wait, what! That's impossible!_

Although, Anna knew she didn't pay attention to a lot of things that she probably should have, which is most likely why what happened with Henrik ended up happening. Maybe it was even partially her fault, if she hadn't been so blind to the depth of his feelings, surely she wouldn't have led him on like she had, albeit unconsciously. She had been young, too... well, 15... and no boys had ever paid much attention to her. She had never even really cared that much for boys, honestly. They always seemed dirty in both body and mind, too sure of themselves, and flippant in the extreme. And they were physically strong and that kind of scared her, too, because even at a young age, after Elsa had been taken from her, she knew they could hurt her without her sister there to protect her. She had not remembered Elsa's ice powers but she had still somehow inherently known that Elsa could and would protect her, always, if she was able. She _had_ been observant enough back then to at least realize that Henrik had liked her. And even though she didn't feel anything for him, she had to admit that it made her feel good to know that someone of the opposite sex found her attractive even if she never returned his affections. Once he had even tried to kiss her but she'd rebuffed him. He'd tried to do more than that and she'd slapped his face and run away in tears. It had been bad. But, then he seemed to have just vanished. She'd stayed away from the stables for over a week and when she returned, he was gone. Just gone. No one seemed to know where or why. She never found out exactly what happened to him. She probably could have, had she tried hard enough but she had honestly been glad he was gone. Knowing she wouldn't be forced to fend off any more unwanted advances, she found herself greatly relieved. But she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.

"And I saw what happened under the cherry tree beside the barn that day.", Elsa went on softly and it dislodged Anna from her thoughts.

"You-you saw that?", Anna asked, feeling hot blood rush to her cheeks.

"Yes, I saw it. All of it.", her sister said quietly. "I'm sure you wondered what became of him afterwards as he just disappeared."

Anna nodded.

"I banished him from the Kingdom.", Elsa said and tried to smile. "So you would never have to worry about him troubling you again."

 _Whoa, harsh!_

"Elsa?", the younger girl asked in disbelief. "You banished him?"

"Yes, much like I did to Hans.", Elsa cleared her throat and glanced away. "I- I banished him. And that's all you need to know.", she mumbled the last so quietly Anna almost missed it.

 _Well, that sounded ominous._

"Elsa… what aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing!", Elsa insisted, bristling slightly at the question. "I just- I banished him and that's that."

"That's that'?", Anna echoed.

"Yes.", Elsa answered, her tone carefully matter-of-fact and calm.

"And nothing more?"

"Nothing more.", the Queen repeated almost mechanically.

Anna gave her a sidelong glance filled with incredulity and it finally seemed to break through to her.

Elsa's solemn veneer cracked. "Oh, believe me, Anna, I _wanted_ to do more than that," she confessed, "but I didn't. I was so angry I couldn't see straight. I had to control myself. I wanted to _kill_ him for what he'd done to you."

"But, Els, it wasn't that bad."

"Not that bad!?", Elsa stared at her in shock.

"No, I mean, he didn't rape me or anything, he just… tried to cop a feel."

"I know very well what he did, Anna, and it was completely inappropriate!"

"Well, that may be but—"

"It was unseemly!" Elsa cut her off, "And it made me furious, utterly enraged. I lived my life vicariously through you back then. I always had. So, it actually felt as if it had happened to me. I, myself, felt violated. His behavior was beyond contempt. Low and crass and vulgar! A complete disgrace!"

Anna lowered her head, it felt like she was being berated. "He was just horny, Els.", she said in little more than a whisper.

But Elsa heard her.

"How dare you defend that... that puerile, sex-crazed plebeian, Anna!", she spat, eyes flashing her disapproval.

"He wasn't... any of that!", Anna countered even though she wasn't even sure what a couple of those things meant. "He was just young, Els. And I guess he wanted to show that he liked me."

"Well, there are countless other less lecherous ways of doing that!", her sister shot back.

Anna nodded. "I know but most of the time, he was a complete gentleman to-"

"Gentleman!", Elsa barked, eyebrows climbing to her hairline. "You can't be serious! Gentlemen know how to treat ladies. And, he was no gentleman, Anna. Far from it! His actions showed a blatant lack of respect for you as a woman _and_ for the crown, in general! Both of which are reprehensible and totally inexcusable. Especially considering your station... and his! As Sovereign Ruler, I would've been justified to do a lot more than just boot him out of the Kingdom for what he did to you. And let's just put it this way, he's very lucky that I managed to control my temper that day.", she said and Anna noticed that her left hand had balled itself into a fist and that a light frosting of ice was covering her fingers. "I mean, really! How dare a common stable boy assault a princess of the realm! How dare he assault a completely innocent young girl and the person I loved most in the whole world!"

Anna looked down at her lap. "I'm not defending him, Els. But all he did was grab my breast.", she said softly. "It wasn't quite as bad as all that. Certainly not 'an assault'."

"It _was_ , Anna!", her older sister cried in desperation. "He took advantage of you! Of your kindness. He...", she searched for the words, "he needlessly trespassed upon your person in an unnecessarily sexual manner."

At this, Anna nearly lost it. She raised her brows in amusement. She couldn't control the small smile that formed on her lips at Elsa's overly fancy wording. "Oh, is _that_ what he did?", she asked, trying to contain the very inappropriate fit of giggles that was trying to bubble it's way up from her stomach at Elsa's continued ire. "You know, if this whole Queen thing doesn't work out, you should really look into being a barrister, Els. You have the vocabulary for it.", she smiled, making an attempt to diffuse some of Elsa's intensity with humor.

But it didn't work.

"It's no laughing matter.", Elsa snapped, giving her a withering stare. "He _groped_ you, Anna. And he made you cry. I saw how distraught what he did made you."

"Elsa," Anna began, forcing herself to be serious and speak calmly, "I appreciate your concern, I honestly do. But, he didn't hurt me. What he did just scared me mostly and that's why I reacted the way I did."

Anna remembered all too well how his hand had felt on her breast. Even though it had only touched her for a split second, she remembered all the feelings that had sailed through her as a result of that little squeeze he'd given it. The awakening it had spurred within her, that is what had scared her, more than the actual touch itself. She hadn't been attracted to him at all, but when he'd touched her, her body had reacted. Elsa was right about one thing, she was innocent sexually. She'd never been touched in a sexual fashion in her life before and although it _had_ scared her, the feelings... the cascade of tingles followed by the ensuing throbbing ache between her thighs..., had also excited her. And she remembered wondering what it would have felt like for Elsa to do that to her. She had fled the barn and ran to the castle in tears. Rushing up the stairs to her room, locking the door and flopping down on the bed to cry her eyes out. And, when she'd finished crying, she'd let one hand reach down to caress the breast that Henrik had fondled and allowed the other one slip down between her legs. She'd stroked herself and imagined her hand was Elsa's. Elsa's hand, Elsa's fingers, Elsa's lips, Elsa's... tongue. Until she...

"I realize that," Elsa's words thankfully jarred her out of her sudden inappropriate train of thought, "but if he'd actually hurt you, I... I don't know what I'd have done. I wouldn't have been responsible for my actions. I probably would have had him meet an untimely fate on the road somewhere or better yet had him lynched in the town square for high treason and let him hang there rotting, until the crows pecked out his eyes and the vultures stripped his bones clean."

Her voice sounded different than Anna had ever heard it. Hard and full of cold unyielding wrath. Almost malevolent. And, her eyes were like two burning embers of impassioned rage.

 _Okay, that was scary. Who was THAT? It certainly wasn't her sweet, completely non-violent sister, Elsa._

Anna stared back at her, unblinking, completely taken aback by this dark side of her sister which Anna had never even known existed until this very moment. Elsa had never shown it to her before. And, for the first time in Anna's life, Elsa had frightened her... more than she cared to admit... with the utter violence of her thoughts. Now she found herself wondering just what it was that Elsa had actually done to Henrik. She knew Elsa was holding _some_ thing back… some very dark, very scary something… but she also knew better than to ask her about it. Especially right now.

"Well," Anna swallowed hard, trying not to show how much her sister's words had shaken her, "that escalated quickly."

Her humor had the intended effect, at last. Elsa laughed. "I'm sorry to go all Empress Caligula on you there.", she smiled and, that fast, Anna knew she had her sister back. "I shouldn't have said all that. Sometimes I scare my own self with all the things that run through my brain. But, the point I was trying to make was that I'm just fiercely protective when it comes to you, honey. I don't want to see you hurt."

"And I'm flattered, really. I mean, 'Devon' has nothing on you in the protection department, big sister. Just remind me never to grope your boob!", she said and Elsa went absolutely white for a few seconds before her whole body suddenly flushed bright, brilliant red. And, for a minute, Anna was worried she was going to find herself swinging from a brand new choker made of hemp in the town square tomorrow. But then a huge smile spread across her sister's lovely face. The giggle started deep down inside her and when it emerged, it was probably the single largest guffaw Anna had ever had the privilege of hearing tumble from her sister's mouth in her whole life.

And Anna relaxed. "Oh Els, I know I've said this about 80 million times, but I'm so glad we're finally here for each other again. So we can talk through things. I love you so much and I'm so very glad you're my sister."

Abruptly, Elsa's eyes went glassy. "You are? Even after that whole intense Empress Caligula thing that just happened?", she asked, attempting to smile.

"Yes," Anna nodded. "Even after that. Proved that you were human. We all have scary thoughts, Els… granted most of them aren't _quite_ that insanely unhinged, but..."

"Oh, I'm 'insanely unhinged' now, am I?", Elsa blinked, putting her hand over her heart, feigning insult, "Gee, thanks!"

"Kidding!", Anna reassured. "You know I'm kidding!"

"Yes, I do.", Elsa agreed. "But I really shouldn't have said that. It _did_ sound pretty depraved, even for me."

"Not for you, Els!", Anna disagreed promptly, "You're the least depraved person I know, honestly. That's why it shocked me so much that you would say something like that."

"Oh Anna, you'd be surprised the things that go through my mind sometimes…", she shook her head, "that used to go through my mind a lot. Being with you helps keep those thoughts at bay, though. I am sometimes surprised that I'm not a lot crazier than I am… being shut away for all those years."

"Oh, I so agree. I mean, well, there _was_ that whole freezing the Kingdom thing but that was so _minor_.", Anna winked.

At this, Elsa's eyes lit up and she laughed. "Shut your trap, little sister!", she smiled and bumped Anna's shoulder playfully. "Or I may have to freeze it shut, seeing as how I'm so 'insanely unhinged' and all."

"Sorry!", Anna said, holding up her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry!", she grinned.

Just at that moment, they went over a bump in the road and the picnic basket jostled, the utensils inside clattered together and Anna felt her stomach growl. Time had slipped away from them and Anna realized they must've been riding for hours. By the sun's position in the sky, it had to be after twelve.

"Hey," Anna asked, "are you getting hungry?"

"I'm starving!", Elsa admitted. "Breakfast just didn't stick to my ribs this morning."

"After the way you wolfed it down, I'm not surprised!", Anna teased.

"Well, I'm sorry if my unladylike dining habits this morning offended your delicate sensibilities, dear sister. I'm sure it must've had something to do with how 'insanely unhinged' I am, don't you agree?", she winked.

"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?", Anna shook her head.

Elsa grinned from ear to ear. "Nope! Not on your life.", she said, "Besides, my haste this morning _was_ just because I was trying to hurry so I could spend time with you, you know."

Anna laughed. "I know, I know. You're forgiven."

"Good!", Elsa said. "Now, if I remember the topographical maps from the castle correctly, there should be a small lake just around the bend up here.", she gestured ahead and to the right.

"Oh that sounds perfect. My belly is starting to growl."

"Mine, too!", Elsa admitted. "Let's find a nice spot for lunch, what do you say?"

"Yes, please, your Majesty!", Anna nodded vigorously. "And, the sooner the better!"

 _ **Author's Note:**_ **Thanks for sticking with this one, it went in several different directions that I hadn't anticipated when I started it and it also turned out much longer than I expected. Stay tuned to find out what exactly happened between Elsa and the stable boy, Henrik, as well as the Elsanna. Thanks again, so much for reading, as always. And, if you're enjoying it, please jot down encouraging words in the way of a review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Author's Note:_ Sorry it's taken so long for me to update. This is just a short, fun chapter. Hope you enjoy. Keep hanging in there, the Elsanna IS coming, just not in this chapter. Please let me know what you think! **

Elsa waved her hands and the Fjord horses instantly picked up their pace and, in a few moments, when they came around the bend, sure enough, there was a quite picturesque lake. Anna's eyes went wide with delight.

"Oh wow, it's beautiful, Els! It's absolutely perfect!"

There was quite an assortment of flora and fauna, milkweed, ferns and bulrushes and cattails and water lilies with lily pads where fat frogs sat and dragonflies and their smaller, blue tinged counterparts, damselflies, all buzzed around while big Greylag geese and colorful Mandarin and Harlequin ducks swam and waddled around the edges. A pair of beautiful white swans were swimming peacefully far out on the tranquil surface of the lake. The smile on Elsa's face showed that she was just as thrilled with finding the secluded lake as her sister was. There was even a shade tree in the form of a large, leafy oak near the water's edge. The sunlight glinted off the lake and made it look almost like glass… or glittering ice. There was a smattering of bright yellow, purple and white wildflowers growing around the perimeter of the lakeshore as well as daisies and calla lilies, all being attended by bees and various other insects buzzing about.

Elsa hopped down from the cab and grabbed the picnic basket. She filled her lungs with a deep breath of the fresh air, which was punctuated with a light floral scent out here near the lake. Then she reached up to take Anna's hand and help her down beside her.

"So gorgeous!", Elsa said, surveying the scene before them and then turning her eyes back to her sister. "But not as gorgeous as you, my dear, sweet sister."

At this, Anna flushed bright crimson. She wasn't used to such compliments from anyone, never mind her fantastically stunning older sister. She looked down at the grass beneath her feet. "Oh stop, you're the gorgeous one. Always have been."

"Well, I beg to differ, little one.", Elsa said, hooking her arm through Anna's and starting towards the tree. She got about halfway there before she turned back towards their hansom cab.

"Oops!", she said, "Almost forgot! " She waved her hands in the air and a stream of snowflakes swirled from her fingers, weaving their way to the area over the cab where they coalesced into a small cloud from which snow fell onto the roof and the horses. "Since I'm not in the cab any more, everything will need a little help to keep from melting in the sun."

"So they get their own personal flurry, just like Olaf."

Elsa nodded. "Precisely!", she said, "Now, where should we spread out to eat. I'm starving!"

"Under that oak looks like a great spot. Nice and shady.", Anna suggested.

"Sounds good.", Elsa said and headed over. She put down the basket and rummaged around in it until she found the checkered blanket, which she withdrew. Anna came over and took one end, while Elsa got the other and they unfolded it between the two of them.

That's when it happened. Out of nowhere, a dragonfly appeared and buzzed up to the pair. It circled around Anna first, flying in the herky jerky pattern that is typical of such creatures. Then, it flew right up in front of Elsa's face. It hovered there for a few seconds, hanging in midair, examining her quite closely eye to eye. Time seemed to stand still as they stared at one another, mesmerized. The insect gazing at Elsa and Elsa gazing back at the insect. Then some invisible something broke the spell and Elsa reacted.

Boy, did she ever react!

Anna had never seen anything like it.

Elsa let out a cry that sounded like a combination of a whoop and a shriek, dropped her end of the blanket and took several swipes at the innocent airborne visitor with the palm of her hand. It managed to dodge her first couple of swats and she missed it by a mile but it zigged in the wrong direction on the third and she connected with it, whacking it hard. The dazed insect tumbled head over tail down towards the ground before it was able to right itself and fly straight up, over Elsa's head, back to the relative safety of its family at the lake's shore.

But Elsa had completely lost her composure and had become even more freaked out now that she had actually lain her bare hand on the creature for even a split second. A gust of freezing wind and snow hit Anna, nearly knocking her off her feet as Elsa let out another high pitched yip and fled in the opposite direction, her arms still thrashing wildly about in a panicked attempt to protect herself from her would be attacker. Since she'd lost sight of the insect, she feared it had managed to get stuck in her hair, which completely unnerved her. She began skipping and hopping up off the ground, covering her head with her hands and frantically pulling at her hair trying to dislodge the imagined unwelcome visitor.

And, all the while, she was squealing bloody murder. It was like some crazy dance she was making up on the spot.

"It's in my hair! It's in my hair!", she hollered. Anna now noticed little squirts of ice spraying out intermittently as she struggled to control her powers while fending off the unseen adversary.

It was the single most unladylike, decidedly less than royal, display Anna had ever had the privilege of witnessing from her sister.

And it was hilarious!

Elsa had completely lost it... her composure, her restraint, her self-control, everything. And Anna had to admit she took some pleasure in seeing her always normally calm and collected older sister totally lose her cool. She knew she shouldn't laugh but she simply couldn't contain herself. It was probably the funniest thing she'd ever seen in her life. Definitely the funniest thing she'd ever seen her genteel, refined sister do.

"Well, that escalated quickly.", Anna said under her breath as Elsa continued to flail about and yelp and leap into the air. Anna wasn't sure what purpose the leaping served, but it certainly was very entertaining.

Anna found herself doubled over, laughing so hard, tears had formed in the corners of her eyes, as her sister batted at thin air and wailed about getting the imagined creature off her.

"Elsa! Elsa!", Anna finally managed to yell, "Stop it! Stop! He's not in your hair. He's gone now... long gone."

Anna wiped the tears from her eyes and went over to retrieve her stricken sister. As soon as she laid hands on her arm, Elsa squawked and whirled on her, eyes wide, a look of pure horror on her face.

And, at that moment, Anna got it.

She felt for her.

Elsa was absolutely terrified out of her wits by something that wasn't even there.

"It's me, Elsa! It's me!", she explained quickly, realizing she probably should not have touched her sister before letting her know she was there. Doing spontaneous things like that around Elsa was what had gotten Anna's heart frozen. "You're okay. He's gone. Long gone. Calm down! Calm down! You're okay now. Shhhh. You're okay.", she soothed.

When Elsa comprehended that it was Anna, her face reddened in embarrassment and she jerked away roughly.

"Don't! Don't touch me! Just stay away!", she barked, stalking back to the blanket and straightening it out on the grass beneath the oak tree where it had been abandoned.

She knelt down on the now smoothed out fabric as gracefully as was possible in her current state of dismay, situating herself in as dainty a fashion as she could muster, her back to Anna. She was trembling, her whole body shaking, and she had put her hand to her face, obviously wiping at her eyes.

Anna suddenly felt horrible for laughing. The encounter had obviously frightened Elsa so much that she was crying. And, she was moving her shoulders in such a way that seemed to indicate she was having a squirmy, creepy crawly kind of feeling as if the insect might still be on her. When Anna made her way back over to the blanket and sat down across from her, Elsa's cheeks were still flushed with embarrassment and anxiety, her hair was disheveled and there was a wild, visibly shaken look on her face, her eyes puffy with tears.

"I'm sorry, Anna," she said, voice quaking slightly as she began smoothing down her hair, forcing herself to slow her breathing, "I- I didn't mean that I didn't want you to touch me. It was only that I was afraid I could hurt you before I even realized what I was doing. It's just...", she said, hands shaking now as she wiped at her eyes again, "I just... I hate bugs. I despise them with an utter, intense passion."

Anna smiled in spite of herself. "You don't say?"

Elsa gave her a small, embarrassed smile then her face changed to anger. "Infernal, disgusting creatures!", she spat. Then, subsiding, "I apologize for the foolish spectacle I made of myself just now. That was utterly humiliating and completely uncalled for and I'm sorry you had to see it."

Anna looked down so she wouldn't have to meet Elsa's eyes and tried to contain the swell of giggles she felt building within her.

"No apologies necessary, Elsa."

Elsa noticed her demeanor. "What is it?", she asked.

"I'm sorry, Els," Anna looked up and forced herself to meet her elder sister's gaze, "but, I will never forget that as long as I live! It was like the best thing ever! I thoroughly enjoyed it."

"Oh, you did, did you?", Elsa asked haughtily.

Anna nodded.

Elsa gave a small smile. "Well, you'd better _not_ forget, Princess, it because that was absolutely the first and last time you will ever see me lose my dignity like that."

"Oh I won't forget!", Anna promised. "If only there'd been Flight of the Bumblebee music playing, it would've been perfect.", she winked.

Anna figured Elsa would shoot her a look and put her in her place for her flippant comment. But she didn't. Instead, Elsa's eyes suddenly widened and she started looking around frantically. "Oh, you don't think there are bees around here... _do_ you?", she asked with slight panic in her voice.

And that was it, Anna couldn't contain the laugh that had been building up inside. "Oh Elsa, you are too much!", she giggled.

"I'm serious, Anna!", Elsa insisted. "I could be allergic to bees for all I know!"

"Elsa, stop.", Anna told her, trying to contain herself. "If there are any, I'll protect you, don't worry."

Elsa harrumphed and gave her a hard, skeptical look.

"Either that or we'll have another Flight of the Snow Queen on our hands!" Anna continued, not able to resist the joke in spite of her sister's disapproving expression.

"There will not be a repeat of that little performance, Anna. I assure you.", Elsa told her. "In fact, from now on, when it comes to bugs, I freeze first and ask questions later."

"Freeze first, ask questions later...", Anna said, a goofy grin making its way across her face as another flurry of giggles bubbled up from her stomach. She found she couldn't stop laughing, she felt tears leaking from her eyes again.

Elsa looked at her reproachfully. "Oh yes, by all means, have a laugh at my expense, little sister."

"Oh, c'mon, Elsa.", Anna shook her head, "Don't be that way! Lighten up! It was funny, admit it."

"It was _not_ funny, Anna!", Elsa disagreed, "That vile, hideous thing attacked me!"

"Attacked?", Anna scoffed, "Oh c'mon, Els, the little guy was completely innocent. He was just saying hello."

"Innocent?", the Queen repeated, incredulous, "That thing came right at my face!"

"He did not 'come at your face'.", Anna countered. "He was simply hovering in front of it. Probably just attracted by the flowers in your hair."

Elsa blinked, digesting Anna's theory for a moment. "Well," she said hesitantly, "you have flowers in your hair, too."

"Ah yes, but they're _your_ flowers, made of ice. No smell. Nothing to attract him.", Anna explained.

"Bees are attracted to flowers as well, aren't they?", Elsa said, voice sounding slightly stricken as she reached up and began pulling at the ones in her hair.

Anna smiled. "Here, let me help you take them out." Anna reached up and gently unthreaded the stems of the flowers Elsa had braided into her hair that morning.

"But you picked those for me.", Elsa complained, sounding so miserable that it made Anna smile.

"Yes, but there's a whole bouquet of them back at the castle and, if I know Gerda… and I do… she's got them all arranged perfectly in a vase with fresh water, just sitting, waiting for you on the dresser in your bedroom.", Anna reassured with conviction.

Anna tossed the flowers away and let her hand caress her sister's cheek lightly. Elsa leaned into it. "Yes, I'm sure you're right.", she sighed, then gave Anna a sheepish smile. "Like I said, insects are not my favorite of creatures and that ghastly dragonfly just came a little too close for comfort."

"Elsa we _are_ in the great outdoors, of course there are going to be encounters with the locals.", Anna comforted. "We were the ones invading his habitat. And, besides, he was just curious anyway. He was never going to try to hurt you. You're the one who freaked out, had a conniption fit and nearly pummeled the poor thing into oblivion in the process."

"You're far too blasé about the entire situation, Anna. How do you know it didn't mean to hurt me? I mean, what if that giant, hateful thing had bitten me! No more Snow Queen."

"Dragonflies are completely harmless, Els.", Anna revealed, her voice calm and soothing.

"Well, it certainly didn't _look_ harmless.", Elsa huffed, "It looked like something out of my worst nightmare. It was hideous! And it was the size of a house sparrow!"

"He was a pretty big one, yes.", Anna nodded, trying to be agreeable, "I can understand why he scared you. You're not used to seeing bugs that big."

"Definitely not!", Elsa agreed, "And those huge bulging eyes; that long tail! I thought that foul thing was going to sting me with it. It looked like the barbed stinger on a scorpion's tail!"

"Elsa, dragonflies don't sting.", Anna said, maintaining her composed demeanor.

"They don't?", Elsa asked in shock.

"No.", Anna shook her head. "Sorry.", Anna added when she saw what appeared to be a look of frustrated disappointment flicker across Elsa's face.

"You're sure?", she asked, seeming somewhat deflated.

"Yes," Anna reassured, "They _do_ look scary if you're not used to seeing them, though. You're right about that. And they're very curious little creatures, too. But I promise you, they're perfectly harmless."

"Hmmm...", Elsa said, and Anna could see the wheels turning in her head as she grasped at straws, trying to come up with another suitable reason for her chagrin, "Well, regardless, the wretched thing pursued me relentlessly... and in a nasty, malicious fashion. Even when I ran away."

"Um, no he actually didn't Els. You were imagining that. He flew straight up and away as soon as you started doing... the thing," here she flapped her hands, swatting and batting at the air in a pretty accurate imitation of Elsa's earlier display, "with your hands."

"He did?", Elsa asked, her face flushing red with embarrassment.

Anna nodded.

"So I overreacted.", Elsa admitted contritely.

"Ya think?", Anna raised her brows.

Elsa gave a rueful nod. "Maybe just a tad.", she tried to smile.

Anna returned the smile. "I guess it just freaked you out when you actually hit him with your hand and then you thought he was coming after you. I'm sure you scared the poor thing out of his wits even before you knocked him senseless."

"Oh.", she said quietly.

"So, see, he wasn't so bad after all. And I thought those big, googly eyes of his were kinda cute, actually."

"Cute!? Anna, are you mad? They were... utterly repulsive!", Elsa said, curling her lip in unfettered disgust.

"Oh, I'm sure all the lady dragonflies find them completely adorable.", Anna smiled.

"Well I'm not a lady dragonfly and I found them to be quite dreadful!", Elsa retorted, "Terrifying, actually. Like an alien monster or something."

"Aw, cut him some slack, Els.", Anna's voice actually sounded sympathetic, "He was not an alien, nor a monster. Just misunderstood. Kinda like a certain Snow Queen, I know and love."

"Well when you put it that way...", Elsa trailed off. "Now, I feel… sorta guilty."

Anna smiled. "Don't! He really scared you. And, all I'm saying is he didn't mean to do that and you were too quick to judge him."

"Oh my goodness, Anna," her sister said, suddenly smiling ear to ear, "I cannot believe we are actually sitting here seriously discussing the ulterior motives and merits of a common dragonfly!"

Anna giggled. "Well, me, either, to be honest!"

"I mean, this is supposed to be a picnic, am I right?", Elsa asked.

"Right, indeed, your Majesty!", Anna nodded.

"So, let's forget about silly old bugs and get to picnicking then, shall we?", Elsa chimed.

"I couldn't agree more, sister dear. Let's eat. I'm _really_ starving now.", Anna confessed.

"Me, too!", Elsa concurred, "My stomach has been growling for over an hour."

"And… I brought a special surprise for our dessert!", Anna revealed happily.

"Oh?", Elsa's eyes brightened immediately, "What is it?"

"It's not a surprise anymore if I tell you!", Anna reminded her sister, a playful glint in her eye.

"Oh c'mon, Anna. I was just severely traumatized by a giant insect. Don't you think that deserves a little something?", Elsa bargained, "Please don't make me wait."

Anna giggled. "Okay, okay. You win!"

The younger girl opened the basket and carefully pulled out an insulated container made of quilted cloth to both seal in the heat and protect the bearer's hands from getting burned. She untied the top and pulled the sides down to reveal a small clay pot that was sitting on a hot brick from the kitchen stove. She used a towel to remove the top and steam roiled up from the inside along with a very familiar aroma. As soon as the smell wafted over to Elsa's nostrils, her eyes lit up with glee.

"Chocolate!", she sang, a huge grin of delight making its way across her face.

Anna smiled back at her and nodded. "Yup, chocolate fondue to be exact... for the strawberries you helped me prepare this morning."

"Oh little sister, you're much too good to me!"


End file.
